The way Clay Buchholz is pitching, the sky is the limit for the Red Sox righty

Associated PressWith shutout pitching Sunday against the Los Angeles, Clay Buchholz closed in on the American League ERA lead and won his 10th game.

BOSTON - An All-Star selection. Twenty wins.

The ERA title. Maybe even ... it may still sound like a stretch now, but won't be if this keeps up ... a run at the Cy Young Award.

All of these are within reach of Clay Buchholz, who has become so good that even on nights his best stuff is lacking, he can throw shutout baseball.

"It's good to have the confidence you can pitch out of spots,'' the Boston Red Sox pitcher said after Sunday's 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fenway Park.

"I don't think anything has changed with my stuff. It just feels better, getting out of jams than not.''

Buchholz pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out spot in the first.

A line-drive double play ended the second, and the right-hander roared through the next four innings before leaving in the seventh.

The Red Sox moved into an AL East tie for second place with Tampa Bay, which has lost 15 of its last 25 after a blazing start.

The New York Yankees are in first place by a game.

But the Red Sox have won six straight, and after sweeping three from the Dodgers, they head to Colorado - scene of their 2007 World Series title - with plenty of momentum.

Former Red Sox slugger Ramirez went 5 for 12 with a home run in his return to Fenway.

Red Sox pitchers did a good job in the series, keeping him from hitting in game-altering situations, though.

"He took a couple of good breaking-ball pitches from me, and got into fastball counts. That's what great hitters do,'' said Buchholz, who gave up a single and a walk to Ramirez in three plate appearances.

In the eighth, Ramirez singled off Daniel Bard. But that came with two out and none on, and James Loney flied to the warning track, ending the inning.

Jonathan Papelbon closed it with a perfect ninth for his 16th save.

Buchholz went 6/23 innings. He allowed three hits, two walks and two hit batsmen.

"I don't think he thought he was throwing the ball as well as he'd like,'' Red Sox manager Terry Francona said,

"His stuff is so good, though, that he got through it.''

Buchholz (10-4) has won seven of his last eight.

His ERA is down to 2.47 Tampa Bay's David Price and Seattle's Doug Fister share the American League lead at 2.45.

Fister (3-3) is about to come off the disabled list for shoulder problems.

Buchholz is tied with Price and New York's Phil Hughes for the league lead in victories. He said an All-Star spot would be an honor.

"That's what you play for, an All-Star game, a World Series title,'' he said.

He has a no-hitter, but neither of those honors. Buchholz, who was 12-14 lifetime before this season, and 2-9 in 2008, was sent home to rest and train after the 2007 season.

He did not travel with the club when it won the World Series that year.

He said he has not thought about 20 wins, even though he's on pace to win 23.